diff --git a/ocrolib/psegutils.py b/ocrolib/psegutils.py
index 77592353..0b6844e8 100644
--- a/ocrolib/psegutils.py
+++ b/ocrolib/psegutils.py
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def extract_masked(image,linedesc,pad=5,expand=0):
     line = where(mask,line,amax(line))
     return line
 
-def reading_order(lines,highlight=None,debug=0):
+def reading_order(lines,nocolumns=False,highlight=None,debug=0):
     """Given the list of lines (a list of 2D slices), computes
     the partial reading order.  The output is a binary 2D array
     such that order[i,j] is true if line i comes before line j
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def separates(w,u,v):
         clf(); title("highlight"); imshow(binary); ginput(1,debug)
     for i,u in enumerate(lines):
         for j,v in enumerate(lines):
-            if x_overlaps(u,v):
+            if x_overlaps(u,v) or nocolumns:
                 if above(u,v):
                     order[i,j] = 1
             else:
diff --git a/ocropus-gpageseg b/ocropus-gpageseg
index f5eedc6d..4a0036f2 100755
--- a/ocropus-gpageseg
+++ b/ocropus-gpageseg
@@ -388,7 +388,10 @@ def process1(job):
 
     if not args.quiet: print_info("finding reading order")
     lines = psegutils.compute_lines(segmentation,scale)
-    order = psegutils.reading_order([l.bounds for l in lines])
+    if args.maxcolseps>0 or args.blackseps:
+        order = psegutils.reading_order([l.bounds for l in lines])
+    else:
+        order = psegutils.reading_order([l.bounds for l in lines], nocolumns=True)
     lsort = psegutils.topsort(order)
 
     # renumber the labels so that they conform to the specs